Published 21:09 IST, December 5th 2019

Amazon make low-key live Premier League debut

Amazon's entry into live broadcasting of Premier League football was expected to be full of glitz, but they played safe in sticking to a tried & tested formula.

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US e-commerce giant Amazon's entry into live broadcasting of Premier League football was expected to be full of glitz and invation but instead y played safe in sticking to a tried and tested formula.

Amazon is first of tech giants to dip ir toe into Premier League after paying ?90 million ($118 million, 106.6 million euros) for 20 games a year over three years, breaking up duopoly of Sky and BT Sport.

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But in matches, shown on Amazon Prime, seller's premium service available for a fee, pundits and commentators were familiar faces and Amazon branding was far from evident.

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One thing that did t appear to go down well with fans attending matches was kick-off time of marquee match -- Manchester City's win against Burnley on Tuesday and Liverpool's victory against Everton on Wednesday -- started at 8:15 pm (2015 GMT) on both evenings.

A section of Crystal Palace fans at Tuesday's home match with Bournemouth expressed ir feelings in uncertain fashion by brandishing a banner with: 'Kick Offs Sold To Highest Bidder, Amazon Profits, Fans Suffer.' photograph got widespread play in British media and globally which could prove uncomfortable for Amazon.

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Amazon have been at pains to emphasise it pays all its British tax (?793 million in 2018) but that could be put to test, according to well-respected Daily Telegraph Chief Football writer Sam Wallace.

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"It cant expect to roll into English football without those credentials being examined and as Palace supporters showed on Tuesday night, a banner at a Premier League stadium framing an awkward question can travel around world as fast as video clip of a goal," he wrote.

banners might well be more prevalent when it comes to Amazon's second round of matches on Boxing Day (December 26) as matches are spread from 12:30 pm (1230 GMT) (Tottenham at home to Brighton) to give 1500 GMT kick-offs, n a 1730 GMT game (Manchester United v Newcastle) and rounded off at 2000 with Leicester hosting Liverpool.

Attending those matches will be even more demanding for fans as trains run on day.

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Amazon's clear advant over likes of BT and Sky is on tech side and sound of matches without commentary.

"Indeed just a couple of clicks away from main feed lay a glimpse of just where Amazon may be taking this," observed Guardian.

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"Squirrelled away on a p called 'Audio langus' was an option to turn off commentary entirely by selecting "Stadium Atmosphere" feed.

" effect was immediately startling. (Bournemouth player) Jefferson Lerma chugged away in near silence.

"Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) drifted from touchline to touchline entirely unencumbered by comment.

"It felt like peering into a weird, iseless future.

"Perhaps it will t surprise you to learn that ( company's founder) Jeff Bezos likes to start meetings at Amazon with half an hour of complete silence."

Given that some football pundits are largely ridiculed for ir observations -- "a game of two halves" and "eir side could win" -- this may prove to be a popular option.

Some also welcomed fewer advertisement breaks.

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On a more prosaic level, Manchester City -- who have close ties with Amazon after making a fly-on--wall documentary on club a couple of years ago -- are indebted to m as camera crew lent m a light after ir dressing room at Burnley's Turf Moor was plunged into darkness on Tuesday.

At end of it though will come a cold, hard business decision for Amazon -- how many of those who took up Amazon Prime's 30-day free trial will be satisfied and pay monthly subscription of ?7.99 or sign off within 30-day period and pay thing? answer may take a while to emerge

20:47 IST, December 5th 2019